A Deep Yearning to Perform Hajj (Part 2)

• In the lengthy narration of Ibn ‘Umar rahimahullāh mentioned under the virtues of travelling above, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said further, “…And [you also wanted to ask] regarding the reward of the two raka‘āt after tawāf…their reward is like freeing a slave from the children of Ismā‘īl ‘alayhis salām…” (Al-Bazzār)

9. Zamzam:

• The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said, “The water of Zamzam is for whatever intention it has been consumed with.” (Ibn Mājah)

10. Multazam:

• ‘Abdah ibn Abī Lubābah Ad-Dimashqī rahimahullāh said, “It would be said that between the corner [of Al-Hajar Al-Aswad and the Door [of the Ka‘bah] is the multazam (a place to cling on to); nobody holds onto it and asks Allāh for anything except that he is given it.” (Akhbār Makkah)

11. Sa‘ī:

• Allāh ta‘ālā mentions in the Qur’ān, “Indeed Safā and Marwah are among the signs of Allāh…” (2:158). This means that they are places upon which Allāh ta‘ālā is to be worshipped. (Al-Qurtubī)

The Sa‘ī takes place between these two mountains.

• In the lengthy narration of Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu mentioned above, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam also said, “…And [you also wanted to ask] regarding the reward of the sa‘ī between As-Safā and Al-Marwah…it is like freeing seventy slaves…” (Al-Bazzār)

12. ‘Arafah:

• Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “There is no day in which Allāh frees more of His servants from the Fire than the Day of ‘Arafah, and verily Allāh draws near and boasts of His servants to the angels, and says, ‘What do these [servants of mine] want?’” (Muslim)

• Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam also said, “Shaytān is not seen on a day – apart from the day of Badr – in which he looks smaller, more defeated, more despised and more infuriated than on the Day of ‘Arafah, and that is due to the descending of blessings and the pardoning of Allāh of sins on that day. (Al-Bayhaqī)

• In another hadīth, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “On the Day of ‘Arafah Allāh boasts of His servants to the Angels, saying, ‘Look at My servants, they have come to Me dishevelled and dust-covered, traveling through every distant hilly pathway, I have made you witnesses that I have forgiven them.’” In another narration, the following has been added, “…they are asking Me of My Mercy having not seen Me, and seeking My refuge from My punishment, having not seen Me.” (Al-Bayhaqī and Ibn Khuzaymah)

• In the lengthy narration of Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu mentioned above, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam also further states, “…And [you also wanted to ask] regarding the reward for the wuqūf during the late afternoon of ‘Arafah…Indeed Allāh draws near to the heaven of the earth and boasts to the Angels about you, saying, ‘My servants have come to Me dishevelled from every distant hilly pathway hoping for My Jannah; even if your sins amounted grains of sand, or the raindrops, or the foam of the ocean, I have forgiven them. O My servants! Return, forgiven for you [are your sins] and for those you have interceded for…’” (Al-Bazzār)

13. Minā:

• ‘Abdullāh ibn Qurt radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrates that the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “The greatest days according to Allāh is the Yawm-An-Nahr (10th of Dhul-Hijjah), and then Yawm-Al-Qarr (the 11th)”… (Abū Dāwūd)

Note: both these days are to be spent in Minā.

14. Ramī (Pelting):

• Again, in the lengthy narration of Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu mentioned above, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam further on states, “…And [you also wanted to ask] regarding the reward of pelting the Jamarāt…For you in return for every stone thrown will be expiation from a major destructive sin…” (Al-Bazzār)

15. Nahr (Animal Sacrifice):

• Also in the lengthy narration of Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu mentioned above, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam further on states, “…And [you also wanted to ask] regarding the reward of your sacrifice (on the 10th of Dhu-al-Hijjah)…for you the reward has been treasured by your Lord…” (Al-Bazzār)

16. Halaq (Shaving the head):

• Yet again, in the lengthy narration of Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu mentioned above, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam further on states, “…And [you also wanted to ask] regarding the reward of shaving your head…as for your shaving your head, for you is a good deed in return for every strand of hair you shave, and a sin forgiven…” (Al-Bazzār)

17. Tawāf-Az-Ziyārah:

• Finally, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam states in the lengthy narration of Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu mentioned above, “…And [you also wanted to ask regarding the reward of] the Tawāf-Al-Ifādah (Tawāf-Az-Ziyārah)…As for your Tawāf after all that [the rituals mentioned in the hadīth], you will be circumambulating without any sin in your record; an angel will come and place his hands between your shoulders and say, ‘Do [good deeds] in the future as your past actions have been forgiven.’” (Al-Bazzār)

Furthermore, the virtues of hajj as a whole should also encourage a person to undertake this journey over and over again. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has mentioned many virtues of hajj, encouraging the believers to fulfil this obligation, some of which are as follows:

There is no reward for an accepted hajj except Jannah. (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

Whoever performs hajj for the sake of pleasing Allāh, and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it free from sin as the day on which his mother gave birth to him. (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

The performers of hajj and ‘umrah are deputations of Allāh; if they call Him, He answers them; and if they seek His forgiveness, He forgives them. (Ibn Mājah)

The performer of hajj becomes so pure that even that person is forgiven for whom he seeks forgiveness. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

When you meet a hajī [on his way home], then greet him, shake hands with him and ask him to beg forgiveness of Allāh on your behalf before he enters his home, for his prayer for forgiveness is accepted since he is forgiven by Allāh. (Ahmad)

Notwithstanding all the virtues mentioned above, the pilgrim on this blessed journey visits Makkah Al-Mukarramah. This is the birthplace of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam; and the city which witnessed almost all the Prophets of Allāh ta‘ālā performing hajj; and in which the revelation of the Qur’ān started and continued for thirteen years.

Similarly, (although it is not a requirement of hajj) most hājīs visit Al-Madīnah Al-Munawwarah, which was the chosen destination for the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam after Makkah; it has been a place upon where wahy was revealed; Islām lived and developed there; countless great Muslim personalities have resided there, great Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum being at the top of the list; the Masjid of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam is located there, and the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam rests there. There are numerous virtues in regard to this great city.

• The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said in another hadīth, “Verily, Allāh has named Al-Madīnah Tābah.” (The place that has a pleasant fragrance or which is pure) (Muslim)

• In yet another hadīth, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Whoever from amongst you is able to pass away in Al-Madīnah, he should do so, for I will testify in favour of the one who dies in it.” (Ibn Mājah)

What Mu’min would give up the opportunity to visit such places, more so when he is summoned by Allāh ta‘ālā?

It is for this reason the pious people performed hajj again and again. According to a narration of Imām Al-Bayhaqī, every Nabī, with the exception of Hūd ‘alayhis salām and Sālih ‘alayhis salām performed hajj. Imām Abū Ash-Shaykh writes in his book ‘Al-‘Azmah’ that Ādam ‘alayhis salām visited the Ka‘bah a thousand times on foot, performing ‘umrah 700 times and hajj 300 times.

Hajj is fard upon every sane, adult and healthy Muslim, on the condition that he has sufficient wealth to enable him to travel to and from the Ka‘bah. This will be when the wealth used to take him is in excess of his basic needs. He also needs to have sufficient wealth to leave behind for the needs of those who are dependent on him. Furthermore, the journey needs to be a safe one and a woman needs to be travelling with a mahram.

Thus, whoever finds that hajj has become fard upon them, should hasten in making preparations to fulfil this obligation. They should take it as a summoning call from Allāh ta‘ālā, and count themselves fortunate, as many Muslims spend their lifetimes without ever having the means to perform hajj, or even visit the Haramayn at all. Once having performed hajj, a person should further try to visit these blessed places again and again with the hope that one day he will breathe his/her last and be buried in the blessed soil of the two harams, for Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “One who dies in either of the two harams, will be resurrected on the Day of Qiyāmah amongst the Āminīn (those granted safety).” (Al-Bayhaqī)

May Allāh grant us all the desire and accept us to visit His House time and time again, year after year, and may He also take our souls in the blessed cities of Makkah and Al-Madīnah. Āmīn.